DRINKING ON THE JOB

Concerns About Employees Drinking During Work

Regardless of how experienced a drinker a person may be, consuming alcoholic beverages while working impairs their ability to perform their duties. Drinking on the job causes other employees to assume some of the responsibilities of the impaired employee-without receiving any compensation for the extra work, creating negative staff morale.

When an employee is permitted to drink on the job, they may use alcohol to escape boredom during slow periods, and then be overwhelmed by and unexpected crowd. When employees drink on the job, they become incapable of making quick, responsible decisions. It affects their ability to respond to a crisis, and they can become less efficient, make more mistakes, and lose money for the business.
It is also more difficult for a server to tell a guest they are shut off when the server has been drinking along with the guest. It makes the server's responsible efforts less effective.

Policy

The RBS Nightclub recognizes that the consumption of alcohol beverages hampers a person's good judgement. The consumption of alcoholic beverages by staff or management while on duty is forbidden, and violation of this policy will be strictly enforced, including job suspension or termination of employment. This policy will be reviewed at staff meetings and problem situations discussed.

Procedures

a. Drinking on the job impairs a person's ability to perform his or her duties. It affects their ability to respond to a crisis situation. It decreases the ability to foresee the development of a problem situation. It causes the server to miss important cues related to both age and intoxication. In short, drinking on the job increases the server's own criminal liability, the establishments licensing liability, and the establishment's civil liability.

b. Drinking on the job causes sober employees to have to assume some of the responsibilities of the impaired employee without receiving any compensation for the work.

c. Guests who are drinking quickly or heavily are less likely to accept the responsible suggestions or demands of a server who is drinking. In other words, drinking on the job makes the employee's responsible service efforts far less effective.

d. Minors are more likely to attempt to be served by a server who is drinking than one who is sober and, therefore, more serious.

e. We know that many of our employees drive after work and often are tired and have not eaten for several hours. We, therefore, will not allow employees to consume alcoholic beverages after their shift or at closing.

f. The bottom line: regardless of the law in the particular state, no server, manager, or other employee will have alcohol in their systems while on the clock.